The ‘Powerpuff Girls’ Are Making a Comeback and We’re Extremely Psyched
Childhood classics rarely lose their appeal, and the beloved Powerpuff Girls cartoon is no exception. That’s why it was so exciting to learn that the series will be returning to Cartoon Network in two years for what will surely be an epic reboot. The show produced a new installment earlier this year, and while that was really cool too, a complete and updated version of the cartoon is going to make us even happier.
As pointed out by Pete Yoder, Cartoon Network’s Vice President of North American consumer products, the Powerpuff Girls celebrated strong females, and now is as good a time as ever to continue relaying the message that women are tough and powerful through the adventures of three sassy little characters. “As the original ambassador of ‘girl power,’ The Powerpuff Girls brand continues to resonate with people of all ages and there is tremendous excitement around introducing Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup to a new generation. With proven success and great content plans in place, there’s so much potential that we’re looking forward to explore with our licensing partners in the coming weeks.”
The Powerpuff Girls was more than just a cartoon about no-nonsense crime-fighting youngsters. It generated more than $2.5 billion in retail sales, earned two Emmys and went on for 78 episodes. The series even inspired a film in the early 2000s and made a fan out of Christian Bale, who sang the theme song during an interview a couple years ago, “The only thing that’s going around in my head is ‘fighting crime, trying to save the world, here they come just in time,. the Powerpuff Girls! … This is all I hear all the time [because of my] daughter.”
Given the show’s popularity back in the day, it’s no wonder Bale got hooked on it. Rob Sorcher, Cartoon Network’s Chief Content Officer, said of the upcoming remake, “The original Powerpuff Girls was a franchise phenomenon for Cartoon Network, paving the way for a new generation of innovative storytellers and enthusiastic fans worldwide. We are calling these girls back into action based upon an overwhelming demand for sugar, spice and Chemical X.”
It was ahead of its time too, as evidenced by Megan Rosenfeld’s op-ed for the Washington Post in 2000, “[I]t is unusual to have girls in the superhero seat, driving the action and landing the blams. A small change in the pop culture, perhaps, but noteworthy.”
That “small change” paved the way for a host of other great female-driven shows and movies, and we’re more than ready for its return.
